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Hydration In Winter: What To Drink

This post is sponsored by Red Diamond Coffee & Tea.

In the warm months of the year I have no problem guzzling all kinds of liquids down. Not only am I thirstier, but when it’s 90 degrees it actually feels good to drink something cold!

But, during this time of year I reallllly struggle with hydration. On the one hand I often feel dehydrated, but on the other hand it is painfully hard to get myself to drink anything other than hot coffee and tea when it’s cold outside. Those do count towards your hydration needs, but one can only drink so many hot beverages in a day.

The ultimate choice for hydration is plain old water. There is no denying it, and it is the best choice. Hydration needs vary by person, so the “8 cups per day” rule really depends on your climate, activity level, and more. Your overall hydration needs include all beverages (even coffee and tea) and water extracted from food, like cucumber and watermelon. I think at least some of your daily intake should be plain water, but plain water is so b o r i n g! It only tastes good to me in the middle of a soccer game. So, after you have downed a glass or two, what are other beverage options that have more flavor and can contribute to your liquid needs? (Sadly, wine is not on the list.)

Here are ideas from lightest to fullest and what to look for on a nutrition label:

Flavored water.

You can add fresh fruit to your plain water to DIY (which is the ultimate simple ingredient list) or look for flavored waters on the market that are made with only water and natural flavors or a splash of real fruit. Avoid added sugars and artificial sweeteners.

Seltzers and sparkling water.

I love bubbles, so even plain seltzers are a big step up from still water, but my favorites have a hint of lemon or lime flavors. These should have no sugar or calories, so be sure to check the ingredient list.

100% pure fruit waters and coconut water. (Or water with a splash of 100% real juice.)

While still keeping it real, there are some lower sugar and calorie options on the market that are made from fruit juice or coconut water and are still 100% natural with no added sugars or artificial sweeteners. Don’t be fooled by sugar alcohols – I steer away from them in large drinkable doses too. (Although they don’t bother me in a stick of gum.)

Iced tea.

Most flavorful to the palate on the list is tea! I love hot tea, but iced tea is another great way to sip it down, especially with a few citrus slices or herbs like mint leaves. You can make it yourself at home with the Red Diamond Family Size Carton Tea or buy it ready-to-drink in a gallon. Again, make sure the ingredient list is just tea.

Red Diamond Tea inspired the content for this post because they’ve been helping me with hydration all week. Since having a gallon of their fresh-brewed unsweet tea in my fridge, I have kept myself well hydrated. Even better – I added a few slices of orange to add a touch of natural sweetness.

Their ready-to-drink teas are always refrigerated because the tea is fresh – there are no powders, concentrates, or preservatives. The Orange Pekoe receives the highest grade of tea leaves, as young buds only picked by hand. You can taste the difference – it tastes home-brewed – but the biggest difference I noticed is that their tea is not bitter at all. It’s full bodied, tastes pure, and has a warm reddish-brown hue that distinguishes it from other commercial teas on the market.

What are you sipping to stay hydrated today?

Thanks to Red Diamond Coffee & Tea for sponsoring this post!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Julie says

    Wouldn’t the caffeine in the iced tea make it dehydrating? If you’re going to drink something cold, water seems like a way better option. :0

    Reply

    • KathEats says

      Coffee and tea count for hydration because the diuretic effect is less significant than the total amount of water you’re getting with it. And yes, water is always the best choice! But some of us get tired of plain water, hence the other ideas.

      Reply

  3. Francesca says

    Hi Kath, I just thought you’d like to know that your site is generating a pop up claiming you’ve won an Amazon gift card and there’s no way to get it to close. I had to shut down my browser to get rid of it. Anyway , I usually just drink water. I find it’s easier to drink more water if I use a straw.

    Reply

  4. Nancy says

    thanks for the post. I too thought that tea was dehydrating and a little googling around seems to confirm that it is not. I love a glass of cold ice tea even in the winter.

    Reply

  5. Amy Greenan says

    I just started adding green tea bags to my water bottle at work! It’s a great way to get the benefits of the green tea when I don’t feel like a hot beverage, which has been the case lately. I don’t even brew it, per se – just throw two bags into my 24 oz. bottle and shake it a few times. I get a slight tea taste that’s a little more interesting than plain water.

    But, yes, plain water is always my jam with no trouble! 🙂

    I also agree with Francesca above that drinking with a straw is a lot easier for some reason.

    Reply

  6. Sarah says

    I see that someone else just mentioned cold-steeping iced tea. It doesn’t give quite the same strong result as the jugs of tea you show in your post, but my husband (a total water-hater) swears by it. He makes it in a glass pitcher in the fridge or in his to-go water bottle. It’s stronger if you make it ahead and let it steep overnight, so he just keeps a steady supply going in the fridge. You can use green tea, white tea, black tea, various herbal blends… so you can have varied flavors and also control caffeine or lack thereof.

    Reply

  7. Courtney says

    I feel like I’m the only person that actually loves water. I’m never far from my water bottle, and besides coffee in the morning, it’s the only thing I drink!

    Reply

    • KathEats says

      I wish I loved it! My mom HATES water. I’ve never seen her drink it! (Perhaps she will chime in with a defense 😉 )

      Reply

  8. Suzanne says

    Have you ever tried Stur water enhancer? My husband uses it and loves it. It’s made from fruit and has stevia as a sweetener.

    I love drinking kombucha when I’m tired of plain water.

    Reply

  9. Pat Kilmain says

    Water and sparkling water are my preferred cold drinks. In winter I prefer room temperature instead of ice cold. I drink a couple of mugs of coffee during the morning. One thing I developed was that after the first cup of coffee is to drink a glass of water before more coffee. I alwys tell people I drink primarily 3 beverages – water, coffee and wine! Don’t like iced tea but do occasionally drink hot tea in winter.

    Reply

  10. Sara says

    I’m at my office today and usually find it quite easy to stay hydrated when I sit at my desk all day.

    Today I’m sipping: plain water, water with EmergenC pack and hot green tea. Cheers!

    Reply

  11. Chelsea says

    I’ve had gastroenteritis the last couple days, so I’m sipping Powerade mixed with water. Fortunately, I LOVE water, even in the cold months (I live in Wisconsin), so I mostly drink ice water and seltzer flavored with lemon juice or True lime powder.

    Reply

  12. Hampton says

    You have me wanting a nice cold glass of iced tea now! LOL!
    Off topic, but Designed to Fit Nutrition just came up in my Facebook feed. I had forgotten all about that! I went to their website because I would be very interested in working with you on my nutrition but I can’t figure out how to contact you via their website! Can we do that here? Should I private message you?

    Reply

        • KathEats says

          Simply the time! It was a lot to manage clients one on one, and I had a crazy May/June and felt a little overwhelmed. It was all good though, and I would love to pick it back up in the future if the timing makes sense again.

          Reply

  13. shannon says

    I too hate water…and yet I know it’s important, so I chug it when I remember to drink. But if I drink it too fast, I get a stomach ache. So I have to sip…so I end up forgetting. It’s a bad cycle.

    I’ve found the only palatable way to drink “normal” water for me, (other than a hot beverage – which I can only do once a day) is to add a touch of Mio liquid water enhancer. I prefer the Cranberry-Raspberry flavor because it seems less sweet. Ya, I know its artificial stuff but I figure it’s better to get the water in than not at all.

    Reply

  14. Julie Gerdes says

    I struggle with this in winter in Ohio. No ice in any drinks and I prefer all water room temperature. I thought I was the only one ?

    Reply

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